POLICE CHIEF LOOKING FOR HELP CRACKING DOWN ON DRUGS AT UKIAH HIGH SCHOOL

Police caught 188 students possessing, using or selling marijuana on
campus so far this year. That number doesn't include alcohol
violations, Dewey said.

Ukiah police want to use dogs and city reserves to crack down on
marijuana and alcohol sales at Ukiah High School.

The Ukiah City Council on Wednesday will consider Police Chief Chris
Dewey's proposal to use $20,793 left over after buying five detective
vehicles for less than was expected, to create a Police Narcotic
Canine Program.

"Over the last five years, on average, approximately 113 Ukiah High
School students a year have been found to be in possession, under the
influence, or have sold marijuana or alcohol on the school campus,"
Dewey writes to open his memo to the council.

Two students were hospitalized last year after eating marijuana
brownies several students were distributing via a campus locker.

He said based on a school district administrator's estimate, the high
school will lose $300,000 in average daily attendance (ADA) funding
from the expulsions that have resulted from marijuana violations so
far this year.

The incidents of transportation and shipping of bulk marijuana rose
between August and December last year, according to Dewey. He cited
two Santa Barbara residents allegedly paid for delivering $110,000
and marijuana packaging materials to a Ukiah address, and "a
significant number of cases" where marijuana was shipped from
commercial shipping companies.

The most recent example was a Dec. 28 incident where four pounds of
marijuana was being shipped through the United Parcel Service.

Dewey's proposal involves using the left over vehicle money to
purchase and train two narcotic officer-canine teams.

One team would work during the day to address problems at the school
and at commercial shipping companies; the other would work in the
evening to reduce transportation of drugs in Ukiah.

In other business, the city will consider rejecting all bids to
construct the Ukiah Skate Park.

The bids came in over the project's budget, with the lowest bid of
$968,331 coming from Kat Construction, Inc.

The council allowed the release of plans and specifications to go out
to bid on Nov. 4. Six companies bid on the project, and bids were
opened Dec. 15. California Skatepark protested the bid, claiming
only it and Danco Builders met prequalification requirements.

The council could reject all bids or award a bid and provide
direction about an estimated $150,000 budget shortfall for the project.

The city will also consider replacing 16 wooden power poles at a cost
of $96,369.

The city awarded at $463,036 contract in August to Par Electrical
Contractors, which has so far replaced more than 80 of the city's
wooden poles. Approval of the additional poles would require a budget
amendment.